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It might help with answers, Wally, if you are a bit more specific about where you are looking. For example, what areas, what setting such as out in the wilds, little hamlet, village, towns etc. The French, as people elsewhere, could be friendly, full of gaiety, morose, reserved, gregarious etc. Under the skin, as it were, we are all individuals. There are French families and groups who might be difficult to get to know and there are Brits in France who are cliquey and look at all newcomers askance. I do find that, joining a group with similar interests to yourself, is a wonderful icebreaker. You are immediately on "tu" terms just by reason of doing the same activity together. In my OH's case, table tennis and a history society and in mine, keep-fit and nordic walking. Can't tell you more than my own experience so perhaps you just need to go and find out for yourself?

I enjoyed that very much, Martin le Kingfisher!😄 What about olive oil being only kept in the medicine cabinet and used when you can't do your number two's or put in your ears when wax makes everything sound muffled?

Ah yes Nostalgia....! Who past the age of 70 can resist a soupçon of that? Here is what passes for poetry from a Gardian reader. Thanks to you, good guy, here's to immortality, yours and ours😄 alexito 47 minutes ago 12 I remember the corned beef of childhood It was disgusting and vile There was some other stuff they called haslet From which I would run half a mile We played in the hedges and alleys We didn't need video games then But my mate Gary White got the horrors When he found a dead tramp in his den. The telly was **** - just three channels Mostly that girl with the clown The bread it was white and went mouldy And the rest of the world was all brown There is also a nostalgia quizz and alexito's letter is a comment on the quizz article.

It's not till next year but in the UK, it will be Starmer or Sunak. Not what you'd call a meaningful choice, is it? I was only saying to OH yesterday, I am glad I can no longer vote (on account of having been out of the UK for more than 15 years) as, like you, Lori, there is no candidate I can choose.

Gosh, yes, received several days ago!

Yes, Lori, I hope that Georgia ...er....come up trumps?😂

Bravo, spoken like a true cymro😄 But I am not true Welsh, only an honorary one! Can't compete with Cardiff Arms Park but I lived within a couple of minutes' walking distance to the rugby ground in Port Talbot. Does that count for a little? The utter shameful shambles is that of Owen Farrell and his red card or no-red card. I hope he has the decency to rule himself out for at least 6 games.

OTOH it's no big deal to request a receipt. And I hope we all do ask because then they are less likely to say we will be doing away with les tickets. Less paper has to be a good thing so, if people don't want a receipt that they are going to bin immediately, I have no objection to our having to ask for a receipt.

Wales rugby is in a shambles at the moment. So, it's les bleus for me and even for OH😄

Is this the unthinkable? What will Dupont do without his mate? What will be the fate of les Bleus? https://www.lemonde.fr/en/sports/article/2023/08/14/french-rugby-star-ntamack-ruled-out-of-the-2023-world-cup_6092467_9.html And I have friends coming over to Bordeaux for one of the matches.....aaahhhhhhh!

ALBF says: We are doomed Mr Mainwaring…..we are doomed't Don't panic! Don't Panic!😝

Don't worry, ALBF, he'll be gone soon enough. So which of Macron's policy decisions don't you like? Perhaps you should wait till Marine LP is installed at the Elyssé, before complaining about what we do have now. I am no dye-in-the-wool macroniste but, to me, he's done a more good than harm and, these days, THAT is a lot to be grateful for.

So, contary to your usual rants about how dreadful all of France is and how you are continually thinking about moving to another country, you can still find places that are "fantastic and beautiful"? Is that why although you are always THINKING about moving to England or Scotland or FantasyLand, you remain here in la Belle France? Now there's a surprise?

How right you are, Lehaut, about not having to be rich😄That's the bit I like best; so many things to do that cost nothing or only at minimal cost. Well-kept public spaces, areas to walk along lakes, rivers, mountains. Footpaths more or less nearly always usable. Walk along the edge of a field and no farmer shouts at you to get off his f.... land! Despite years of walking in France, I am still nervous about walking inadvertently on someone's private domain. So I only venture on paths that could be privés with my more knowledgeable French friends. There are areas of parks and lakes managed by the municipal authorities and free for access. It gladdens my heart to know that people of modest means can still enjoy the great outdoors. As for the villages des vacances, whole families can enjoy some very well kept and plentiful activities at modest cost. Of course government policy as well as the better weather enable all these things to be there for everyone. I belonged to the Ramblers' Association when I lived in the UK and there were always endless arguments with landowners and the local authorities about the accessibility of footpaths. We had a large garden with woodland access in our previous house and now and again, we would have requests from local walking groups to cross the bottom of the garden. We always said, yes by all means, and laid on some cold drinks and light refreshments which were always appreciated. Like you and Mrs L, I love being out of doors even though I might not have your level of fitness or adventurous spirit😏

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/aug/11/from-normandy-to-the-dordogne-readers-favourite-spots-in-france There you are, something for (nearly) everybody🙂 Lehaut will definitely be interested because, yes, there is mention of Nantes AND cycling! After saying that summer is not the best time to visit on holiday on another thread, I feel obliged to post this to make amends for appearing perhaps a bit too discouraging. By all means visit in summer or autumn or winter or, best of all, my favourite spring time. I have some older French friends who are convinced, for whatever reason, they they do not need to holiday anywhere but in France because "we have everything here". By that they mean you could do sea swimming or mountain walk or cycle or some other form of locomotion and I do have to agree because France indeed does have it all😁

Ah therein lies the beauty of the reply😁 You need to work it out for yourself. Could be a case of if the cap fits..... BTW I disagree with you about the advantages of holidaying in the summer. My "truc" is walking and, where I live, walking is not a pleasant activity in the summer unless you are prepared to get up at the crack of dawn to walk, before the sun rises and browns you like bread crust. My favourite time of year is the spring. Everything is so fresh and, well, so YOUNG😉 Different shades of green with the new growth everywhere. Then there are the spring flowers, catkins, new growth everywhere that are not yet hardened enough to impede your passage through fields and country paths. Biggest PLUS of all, no insects yet to sting the hell out of you and bring you out in bumps and itches.

From what my Australian neighbours (3 months in the summer) told me, you do need a fiscal number. They went down to the tax office to pay but were told "no can do". Unlike you, however, they do have a fiscal number but it was back in Australia! Their accountant told them it was nothing to lose sleep over and that she would do the necessary for them once she got the number. Have you tried ringing? I find that where emails elicit no response, a phone call generally does. Good Luck!

What I'd say is, you shouldn't be in any great degree of undress near the sea. That's because skin cancer is on the rise and the climate is getting hotter with the sun's burning power increased. Call me a spoilsport if you wish but that's my take on it. Personally, I find the beach dead boring. Give me a mountain to walk on. Red burnt mottled skin is not the most attractive sight I can think of.

What a lovely bunch of spring onions, Lori😄 I think both the French, Welsh and Italians have a name for them that sounds like cebette. I think here in the Dordogne, they are often called oignons à boîte.

Lori, do you mean spring onions? I really love those. To keep them from wilting, I put them in a bowl of water in the fridge and they last well for several days. Chopped finely, I like to throw them in mashed potatoes when the latter is still hot. Just yum.....

I do think that people who drive cars AND ride bicycles are the most road "intelligent". You see the potential dangers from both viewpoints and you know both the minds of cyclists and motorists. I think the most road unaware drivers are those of sans permis, with notable exceptions, of course. They hog the middle of the road, wander about it (not sometimes within their lanes) or they pay little notice of other road users.

Undoubtedly, I'd go for the Cevennes and then, if unavailable, the Roscoff. They are, as you have said, seasonal. I have had some sweet onions from Chile, as you have mentioned, also from Mexico. I don't, as a rule, buy fresh produce from thousands of miles away. So, I'd buy red onions when push comes to shove. Spanish onions, as a rule, are milder tasting than many others. Also the very white, large onions from Italy but I can only get those from le Grand Frais. Can we now also talk about the best garlic? I buy the violet ones if I can find them but I have never tried the black or smoked looking ones.

Yes, I like the Roscoff onions too but not as much as the Cevennes ones. I love the pink colour of Roscoff onions but, unfortunately, the colour goes once they are cooked. The one onion I NEVER buy, not even for stews are les oignons jaune....they are nasty and tough😕

I agree, DL, Cevennes are the best tasting onions I have ever eaten. I didn't know about Lidl but I will look out for them. I go to one of those fancy specialist shops where everything including sweet onions makes your eyes water with the price. But they are HUGE and white and beautiful and so sweet I feel I could bite into them as I would an apple! Last year, when we had visiters, I had a fit of generosity and made her a present of an onion. Explained what it was and why it was special. Barely a thank you and never heard whether it lived up to her expectations. So DL, don't make a present of them to anyone other than connaisseurs (like me, of course!)

OK, un update. My tensiometre (OMRON) came this morning and I tried it out. Lori, as I have said before I was worried about the cuff size starting at 22 cm and my upper arm measuring 20 cm. Fortunately, when I put it on and pull it to its smallest, it fits fine. Also, there is an icon on the screen that tells you if the cuff is tight enough and that had an OK sign. That was the good news!😄 The bad news is, on averaging out 3 readings, it came out 155/93. It's not the worst reading I have ever had and I am not too concerned because it's mid morning, I have exercised and eaten my breakfast. Just to recap: 30 minutes before, NO to alcohol smoking shower hot drinks food exercise Well that's what the label says! Good measuring everyone! For me the real mccoy starts tomorrow morning and measuring for 3 days, taking care to fill in Martin's form; yessir! Nearly forgot to mention to Martin. I just switched from morning to evening. Didn't take it one morning and then took it that night and every night since. My medication is half a tablet a day so I wouldn't like to advice anyone to change without speaking to their doctor firs.